Do you ever feel like we're entirely too connected sometimes? Too connected via email, via text, via Twitter and Facebook. Too engrossed in what everyone is doing to the point that is a) distracting and b) kind of frustrating.

I think that especially as artist, it's easy to get so distracted with the work the other artists' and designers' are doing that we forget about our own work. So much amazing work is available for viewing with just a few clicks and then before you know it, you've wasted half a day reading design blogs and browsing through artist portfolios.

Not that you shouldn't be doing that. You should be aware of what's "out there," what's being published, what's being licensed and what's selling. Or at least, you should be aware of those things if you'd like to be a successful artist too.

But when you're too busy looking at other people's awesome to work to do your own awesome work, then it's time to disconnect for a bit.

The same thing goes for social networking and your email. When you spend 2 hours at a stretch chatting on Twitter or Facebook or obsessively checking your emails, it's time to disconnect.

I know, it sounds frightening, doesn't it? But guess what? If you spend 3 or 4 hours disconnected, all that fun internet-y stuff will still be there when you get back! Your emails will be waiting patiently, as will your Facebook comments and Twitter messages. You can still check out the porfolio of that awesome new illustrator you just discovered. You can still pin 537 new things to Pinterest.

So try it out, disconnect for a bit today and see how much more work you get done.

In the past few weeks, I've been working towards doing the same thing myself. When I need to be drawing, I close down my email, move my iphone somewhere out of my immediate reach and sometimes even just disconnect from the internet on my computer entirely. Sometimes, just for a couple of hours and sometimes for 3 or 4 hours, but every time I do it, I'm pleasantly surprised by the amount of work that I get done during that time period.

It's honestly one of the best habits I've gotten into lately.

Do you feel like you are entirely connected sometimes too? Then give it a break, disconnect yourself for a few hours and see how much real work you can accomplish in that time.

I'm a freelance children's illustrator with a love for designing patterns and working with color. I also sell prints and stationery featuring my work in my shop, The Fox and The Teacup and I license my artwork.